Schizophrenia-related Xpo7 haploinsufficiency leads to behavioral and nuclear transport pathologies.

Recent genetic studies by the Schizophrenia Exome Sequencing Meta-Analysis (SCHEMA) consortium have identified that protein-truncating variants of exportin 7 (XPO7) can increase the risk of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 28.1). Here we show that mice with Xpo7 haploinsufficiency (Xpo7 mice) present with cognitive and social behavioral impairments.

Mitochondrial YME1L1 governs unoccupied protein translocase channels.

Mitochondrial protein import through the outer and inner membranes is key to mitochondrial biogenesis. Recent studies have explored how cells respond when import is impaired by a variety of different insults. Here, we developed a mammalian import blocking system using dihydrofolate reductase fused to the N terminus of the inner membrane protein MIC60.

Impact of early initiation of renal replacement therapy in patients on venoarterial ECMO using target trial emulation with Japanese nationwide data.

While renal replacement therapy (RRT) allows for precise fluid management as well as addressing electrolyte imbalances and the removal of other necessary compounds, its early initiation has not shown benefit in the general critically ill population. Moreover, the effects of early RRT initiation specifically in patients on venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) also remain unclear. This retrospective study investigated adult patients who underwent VA-ECMO between April 2018 and March 2022 and used the clone-censor-weight method to emulate a hypothetical target trial and compare two groups: patients who initiated RRT within 2 days of VA-ECMO initiation (Early) and those who did not (Late).

Tripodal Triptycenes as a Versatile Building Block for Highly Ordered Molecular Films and Self-Assembled Monolayers.

ConspectusThe design of properties and functions of molecular assemblies requires not only a proper choice of building blocks but also control over their packing arrangements. A highly versatile unit in this context is a particular type of triptycene with substituents at the 1,8,13-positions, called tripodal triptycene, which offers predictable molecular packing and multiple functionalization sites, both at the opposite 4,5,16- or 10 (bridgehead)-positions. These triptycene building blocks are capable of two-dimensional (2D) nested hexagonal packing, leading to the formation of 2D sheets, which undergo one-dimensional (1D) stacking into well-defined "2D+1D" structures.

Automated Assessment of the Pulmonary Artery-to-Ascending Aorta Ratio in Fetal Cardiac Ultrasound Screening Using Artificial Intelligence.

The three-vessel view (3VV) is a standardized transverse scanning plane used in fetal cardiac ultrasound screening to measure the absolute and relative diameters of the pulmonary artery (PA), ascending aorta (Ao), and superior vena cava, as required. The PA/Ao ratio is used to support the diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD). However, vascular diameters are measured manually by examiners, which causes intra- and interobserver variability in clinical practice.

Metatranscriptomic Analysis Reveals Actively Expressed Antimicrobial-Resistant Genes and Their Hosts in Hospital Wastewater.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major global concern and economic threat, necessitating a reliable monitoring approach to understand its frequency and spread via the environment. Hospital wastewater serves as a critical reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant organisms; however, its role in resistance gene distribution and dissemination remains poorly understood. This study integrates metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses, elucidating the dynamics of antimicrobial resistance in hospital wastewater.

Recycling of Uridylated mRNAs in Starfish Embryos.

In eukaryotes, mRNAs with long poly(A) tails are translationally active, but deadenylation and uridylation of these tails generally cause mRNA degradation. However, the fate of uridylated mRNAs that are not degraded quickly remains obscure. Here, using tail-seq and microinjection of the 3' region of mRNA, we report that some mRNAs in starfish are re-polyadenylated to be translationally active after deadenylation and uridylation.

Saliva in Balancing Oral and Systemic Health, Oral Cancer, and Beyond: A Narrative Review.

Saliva plays a multifaceted role in oral health and systemic well-being. It supports digestion, protects oral tissues, maintains a healthy oral microbiome, and facilitates wound healing. Additionally, saliva serves as a diagnostic tool that reflects systemic health and disease/therapeutic states.

Association of Systemic Inflammation with Dietary Intake, Nutrition Impact Symptoms, and Eating-Related Distress Among Patients with Advanced Cancer.

Background: Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are correlated with patient outcomes in cancer. This study aimed to determine associations between the CRP level and the dietary intake, symptoms, and eating-related distress (ERD).

Methods: We conducted a multicenter survey among advanced cancer patients.

In toto biological framework: Modeling interconnectedness during human development.

Recent advancements in pluripotent stem cell and synthetic tissue technology have brought significant breakthroughs in studying early embryonic development, particularly within the first trimester of development in humans. However, during fetal stage development, investigating further biological events represents a major challenge, partly due to the evolving complexity and continued interaction across multiple organ systems. To bridge this gap, we propose an "in toto" biological framework that leverages a triad of technologies: synthetic tissues, intravital microscopy, and computer vision to capture in vivo cellular morphodynamics, conceptualized as single-cell choreography.

Fine-tuning probes for fluorescence polarization binding assays of bivalent ligands against polo-like kinase 1 using full-length protein.

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is an important cell cycle regulator that is a recognized target for development of anti-cancer therapeutics. Plk1 is composed of a catalytic kinase domain (KD), a flexible interdomain linker and a polo-box domain (PBD). Intramolecular protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between the PBD and KD result in "auto-inhibition" that is an essential component of proper Plk1 function.

L-arginine in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6: a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Background: Therapeutic advancements for the polyglutamine diseases, particularly spinocerebellar degeneration, are eagerly awaited. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and therapeutic effects of L-arginine, which inhibits the conformational change and aggregation of polyglutamine proteins, in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial (clinical trial ID: AJA030-002, registration number: jRCT2031200135) was performed on 40 genetically confirmed SCA6 patients enrolled between September 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021.

Association between somatic microsatellite instability, hypermutation status, and specific T cell subsets in colorectal cancer tumors.

Background: Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-high) tumors comprise ~15% of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRC) and are associated with elevated T cell infiltration. However, the universality of this response across T cell subtypes with distinct functions is unknown.

Methods: Including 1,236 CRC tumors from three observational studies, we conducted T cell profiling using a customized 9-plex (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD45RA, CD45RO, FOXP3, KRT, MKI67, and DAPI) multispectral immunofluorescence assay.

Construction of the Gene Tagging and Knock Out (GTKO) System for Reliable Genetic Analysis of Nuclear Genes in Cyanidioschyzon merolae.

The unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae is a eukaryotic photosynthetic model organism used for basic and applied cell biology studies. Its nuclear genome can be modified by homologous recombination with exogenously introduced DNA. The comparison of mutants with isogenic strains is critical for reliable genetic analyses; however, this has been impossible thus far.

Boosted antibiotic degradation using magnetite nanoparticles doped ultrafine activated charcoal powder to activate HO: Insights into mechanisms and competitive kinetics.

The treatment of antibiotic wastewater often faces the challenge of simultaneously and effectively degrading multiple components under complex conditions. To address this challenge, magnetite nanoparticles doped ultrafine activated charcoal powder (MNPs/UACP), which effectively catalyzed the decomposition of HO into •OH and HO•, was prepared using chemical co-precipitation. Under optimum conditions (i.

Revival of the heat shock response after two decades with a small Hsp in a critical but distinct act.

The heat stress response is an essential defense mechanism in all organisms. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are produced in response to thermal stress, with their expression levels regulated by heat shock transcription factors. In the key transcription factor σ positively regulates Hsp expression.

Research team diversity impacts scientific output in allergy and immunology programs.

Background: This study examined the relationship between the disciplinary diversity of research teams and research output (RO) in allergy and immunology programs funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, Medical Research Council (MRC) in the United Kingdom, and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Methods: Using a dataset containing 1243, 3645, and 1468 articles funded by the NIH, MRC, and JSPS, respectively, we analyzed the correlation between disciplinary diversity and RO in allergy and immunology programs that received grants from 2017 to 2021. Diversity was measured using All Science Journal Classification codes counts, Shannon-Wiener index, and newly developed Omnidisciplinary index (o-index).

A Water-Soluble Small Molecule Boron Carrier Targeting Biotin Receptors for Neutron Capture Therapy.

A critical challenge in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is expanding its effectiveness through the development of novel boron agents with different mechanisms of action than the approved drug 4-borono-l-phenylalanine (BPA). In this study, we developed a small molecule boron carrier, biotinyl--dodecaborate conjugate with an iodophenyl moiety (BBC-IP), incorporating biotin as a ligand for biotin receptors overexpressed in various cancer cells, alongside an albumin ligand and boron source. BBC-IP exhibited high water solubility, minimal cytotoxicity, and superior cellular uptake compared to BPA in both human and mouse cancer cells.

Photocatalytic → isomerization of -bromofluoroalkenes: stereoselective synthesis of β-fluorostyrene derivatives.

Stereoselective synthesis of β-fluorostyrene derivatives has been achieved. Selective isomerization of -bromofluoroalkenyl benzenes bearing various -substituents is enabled by using Ir photocatalysts with high triplet energy. Subsequent one-pot transition-metal (TM)-catalyzed reactions enable pot-economical synthesis of monofluoroalkenes in a stereoselective manner.

Effect of pre-hospital living setting on nutritional intake route upon discharge in older adults with aspiration pneumonia: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Aspiration pneumonia, which often recurs due to dysphagia, worsens as patients move between homes, facilities, and hospitals. The impact of pre-hospital living setting on oral intake at discharge remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the pre-hospital living setting on the nutritional intake route upon discharge in older patients with aspiration pneumonia.

Impact of surgical volume on outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign adrenal tumors: A Japanese nationwide database analysis.

Objective: To analyze the recent status of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign adrenal tumors, focusing on the relationship between the number of surgeries and complication rates per facility.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, covering surgeries performed between April 2012 and March 2020. The inclusion criteria were laparoscopic adrenalectomy for benign adrenal tumors.

Racial disparity in preoperative C-reactive protein level for predicting prognosis of patients with non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma: INMARC study.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a prognostic biomarker for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, there may be potential racial heterogeneity in distribution and prognostic impact of CRP level. We investigated potential racial differences in distribution and prognostic impact of preoperative CRP among Asian (AS), African American (AA), and Caucasian (CAUC) patients with non-metastatic ccRCC (nmccRCC).